Remove barriers to marriage
“Do not build these artificial barriers, dear brothers and sisters, and make more trouble and make it harder for people to get married.”
Muslim communities, especially parents, adults, and youth, should remove cultural and financial barriers to marriage while ensuring that couples approach it responsibly as a religious and communal duty.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- The khutbah opens with praise of Allah and the responsibility to honor family ties.
- The story of Abdul Rahman ibn Awf illustrates simple marriage arrangements and self-reliance.
- Surah An-Nur is used to command communities to facilitate marriage, even when people are poor.
- The speaker calls on communities to help while reminding couples of the seriousness of marriage and their responsibilities.
- Examples from the Prophet’s time show that marriage was made accessible through modest dowries, communal support, and practical flexibility.
- Parents are urged to remove ethnic, tribal, and cultural barriers and prioritize tranquility, love, mercy, and compatibility.
- The khutbah closes by connecting marriage to religious priorities amid global crises, then gives local safety and policing announcements.
In the khateeb's words
“Allah commands the believers, take part, arrange for the marriage of those who are single amongst you.”
“Because if we want the Ummah to be stronger, we need the family structure to be stronger as well.”
“You can't be half committed. You can't walk into a relationship expecting that everything will be good”
“So do not build these artificial barriers, dear brothers and sisters, and make more trouble and make it harder for people to get married.”
For the dinner table
Imam Hesham reminded us that helping people marry is a responsibility shared by parents, young people, and the wider community. He described examples of the Prophet making marriage simple and helping people with limited means. He encouraged trust in Allah’s provision while making clear that marriage requires effort and serious responsibility. He asked parents to look beyond ethnic and tribal expectations and focus on whether a marriage can offer comfort, love, and mercy. As a family, we can listen to one another, reconsider unnecessary barriers, and help our young people prepare to treat a spouse with dignity and kindness.
- What does treating someone with kindness look like when you disagree?
- How can we appreciate our family traditions while welcoming people from different backgrounds?
- What is one way our family could help someone preparing for marriage?
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